Saturday, December 10, 2011

i've always loved shopping so this probably won't shock many people. i stumbled upon Etsy.com in september and if there was such thing as a "rookie shopper of the year award", i am positive that i would be in the running. below are some of my favorite october and november purchases. i can't wait to start...who am i fooling, continue x-mas shopping on this gem of a website.

the absolute best thing about Etsy is that all of the vendors are small businesses and in some cases, local too. people selling to people without the big corporation crap. did i mention that i love Etsy...

awesome fine art photograph that i can't wait to hang.

i have found the most amazing pillow covers...if i could, i would have a room full of pillows.

these are the best hairbands i have ever owned. they make great bracelets before getting your hair out of your face.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

yep, you read this right! you get another opportunity to drink for the MEF.

go down to the Ram (U Village ONLY) december 11-18th, order some grub, watch a game or two and drink purple beer. not just beer, but PURPLE BEER...$1 from every purple beer sold will go directly to the melissa erickson foundation.

drinking for a good cause is always a good time and everything is better when it's purple...true, true.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

here are a couple pictures from wednesday night. i can't even begin to describe how special the night and honor was. my memories of the dawg days are unparalleled and extremely cherished. so to be asked to return and have another chance to step on the court at good ole' Hec Ed, i was nervously excited. it's funny, besides the first few games of my freshman year, i never became nervous at the thought of stepping on the court and becoming the center of attention. so why, on a night that a MVP performance could only be derailed if my wheelchair broke down, was i nervous to step on the same floor that i've flopped, sprinted and chest bumped on for four years?! i dunno either...but that's why i brought my teammates with me. as soon as i stepped on the court, i felt at home again and i couldn't stop smiling. the video and script was perfect. when i realized that both Coach McGuff and Coach Bonvicini were keeping their teams on the floor, i felt extremely special. the best part of the night was the best part of every game day. husky fans are like no other in college sports...well they actually share the same passion as any fan of their favorite college, BUT according to me (and it's my blog, SO) Husky fans are the greatest! so naturally the best part of the evening was sharing it with our loyal fans. whether they've been following the team for a year or since the program's first year, these guys love their Huskies. the love and applause i was showered with was amazing. it was the most perfect night and i am so thankful to Megan Osmer, Shannon Kelly, Elliott Silvers, and Colleen and R.B. Caulkins. thank you to the program and my teammates for the continued support. and thank you to my family for EVERYTHING.

i'll post more pictures and a copy of the video when it becomes available. it was so, so awesome...i'm still smiling.

Monday, November 14, 2011

When Mo asked me to write something for the upcoming UW game
against Seattle U, where the new staff and team will recognize Mo and her
courageous battle against ALS, I was simultaneously
honored and nervous. There’s really no reason why Mo shouldn’t be able to write
something like this herself, asking her legions of friends to attend Wednesday
night’s contest, not simply because she will be recognized by the program where
she dedicated four years of her life to perfecting her “flop”, but where she
also took young freshmen under her wing and along with her 5 fellow seniors,
taught me and three other wide-eyed 18 year olds what it meant to be a Husky.
The hard work required every day, every practice, every drill. The dedication
it takes to be great, both on and off the court. The commitment to support your
teammates, challenge them and ultimately, stand by them, no matter what. I was
nervous because I wanted to make sure the words I chose did justice to the
person I have spent years admiring and looking up to, hoping someday to be like
her when I grow up.

So really, when I think about it, there’s no reason Mo shouldn’t
be writing this entry herself. She’s earned the right to ask her friends and
family to join her on a night, long overdue, where the place she gave so much
of herself is finally giving something back. A place where long after she hung
up her Nikes and put away her sweatband, she continued to support new coaches
and players as they discovered what it meant to be a Husky. But when Mo posed
the question, she felt silly for asking and was worried that writing it herself
might make her look “self-absorbed.” From the days where I longed for Mo to
graduate, so I could finally wear #4 on my uniform, to today, where I long for
a cure to an ugly and devastating disease, self-absorbed has never been a word
I would use to describe her. Although the adjectives I would’ve picked at 18
might be slightly different than I pick at 29, they generally remain the same;
Tenacious, caring, self-less, influential, dedicated, consummate teammate,
thoughtful, humble in the face of adversity, thankful and genuine are only a
start to the many that come to mind. Mo truly has shown us what it means to be
a Husky, through and through.

As I get older and basketball continues to move further and
further into the category of things I used to do, people still ask why I went
to UW and if I liked it there. In the 11 or so years it’s been since I could
call myself a Husky, the answer has never changed. And in those 11 years, it’s
only become stronger. I went there because of the people I was going to be able
to call my teammates and coaches. Maybe none of us realized it when we signed
our name on that piece of paper or walked into the coach’s office, asking if
there was a roster spot to try out for, the 15-20 people we would go through
the next four years with would be, by and large, the same 15-20 people we will
continue going through life with. And when one of those people needs our help,
support or encouragement, the commitment we made all those years ago still
binds us. When Mo sent a small group of us an email, shyly asking if we could
make it to the game, it wasn’t long before numerous replies from friends and
teammates all over the state came in, emphatically stating “yes!” we’ll be
there.

The pride we all take in being Huskies pales in comparison to the
pride we take in each other and the women we have become. Mo has been an
inspiration and example for all of us throughout her 30-some years, constantly
being mindful of others, doing so much for so many people and never turning her
back on anyone, even as her body started to turn its back on her. I know we all
enjoy coming together to show our support on one sunny, summer day in Seattle,
where throngs of people who know Mo and countless others who don’t, take to the
streets of Queen Anne to imbibe for a cause greater than all of us. But, on a
fall day where the sun might be obscured by clouds and the beer might not be
flowing until we hit up the Ram after the game (like we always do), I ask that
you join me and my teammates in showing our support for Melissa, our teammate,
our friend. Mo has not only defined what it means to be a Husky, but she has
also redefined the meaning of family. She has consistently shown that family
isn’t whose blood you share; it’s who you care about. So whether your athletic
family bleeds Cougar crimson or Husky gold, on Wednesday night we all share in
one thing: our collective love for Melissa Erickson.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

ok, not really...cruel joke. SERIOUSLY though, if everyone donated and passed it on to your friends, you could potentially fund the doctors, who find the lifesaving treatment, and BOOM-

YOU'RE A HERO!!!

let's get this video out there. blast it on facebook, twitter, tumblr or whatever network cures you socially. if you have an in at a local TV station, beg for it to air. let's get this video some play!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

seriously people, it's time. our country is thought to be a progressive one, yet this issue keeps us dated and old fashioned. this is a basic human right, in my opinion. you don't have to agree but why stifle another's happiness. if you don't want a 'gay' marriage, don't get one!!!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

this is steve gleason circa 2005. you may remember him from his days at wazzu, donning the crimson and gray and making a trip to the rose bowl. most know him for his legendary blocked punt during the very first game played in the superdome since hurricane katrina ripped through new orleans a year earlier. many saints fans regard that play, seen below, as a symbol of their city's relentlessness. that play vaulted steve into cult hero status among saints fans and forever cemented him as a figure of the great revival of a post-katrina NOLA.

i'll admit, i don't remember steve as a coug or a saint. i've never met the guy but respect him as a fellow athlete and an important figure of new orleans, my absolute favorite southern city. i found out about steve because of the dark passenger that we share. he became a brother to me through ALS. another example of a finely tuned athlete that dedicated his life to strengthening his body so he could excel at football's highest level. steve enjoyed a successful career and was embarking on retired life with his new wife and plans for a family. however, slowly his body began to change. i bet he thought, 'wow, i had no idea that retiring and relaxing could cause my limbs to become so heavy' and 'what the hell is this twitching?!'. i hear ya...i thought that too!!! soon his worst fears were confirmed. steve, like me, had been robbed by a disease that i (maybe we) knew little about. ALS crept into our bodies and tore down the temple that we had been working on since the second we fell in love with our sports. ALS will try to steal every living ounce of you and it won't stop until it does. thankfully steve and i have another thing in common. the years spent dedicated to our sports were not spent alone. just as my teammates and friends held me up after our coaches vicious conditioning tests years ago...they continue to support me now as ALS tests me in a whole new way.

likewise, steve's teammates and friends continue to support him as his limbs weaken. ALS is threatening to rob steve of everything but i guarantee that steve and team gleason are mounting a grand defense.

doctors and scientists are closer than ever to delivering a treatment to stop and maybe even reverse ALS. PALS (people with ALS) around the world continue to lean on their friends and family for support while patiently waiting for a miracle. until that day, each of us resembles that blocked punt that helped to fuel new orleans ' post-katrina resurrection. a spark lying dormant within us only waiting to be set free to start our own great revival of a post-ALS world.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

"No
one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to
die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one
has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very
likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It
clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you,
but someday not too long from now, you w...ill gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.
Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other
people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out
your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow
your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want
to become. Everything else is secondary." - Steve Jobs

Monday, September 26, 2011

this is who i hung out with this weekend. it's easily one of my most
favorite weekends of the year. if i had it my way, i would cram each
one of them in my house, their families and all, and live together as
most of us did in college. they know me better than i know myself, they
always have and i used to hate it but i am so thankful for it now. i
love you guys!

that's cheryl...she keeps it classy.

i have no idea but i love it!

lollipop carli...her flavor world be a mixture of granola and hummus.

sweet six - carli + sug spice = almost perfection

best combo in the history of the world. i'm serious people

LeAnn, Dunc, Jill, Franza, Heather, Sug', Emily and Carlito...thank you for not letting me quit the team. i'd be lost without you guys.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

this getting older business is for the birds! when you're a kid, you can't wait for your birthday. as we get older, we are just thankful to see another year. this year for my birthday, i only want one thing from each of you. JUST ONE THING!

i've known Andrew Moritz since my freshmen year at UW. before i got to know him, my teammates and i would see him and we'd joke, "look, Jon B plays for u-dub!" seriously, same fade, same facial hair and definitely the same swag...drew defined swag! when i finally got to know him, we were friends instantly. you can't not like drew. he's the type of guy that isn't satisfied until you are laughing so hard that you're crying. once you've cried, it's over, because now he just simply has give you a look and that same joke resurfaces and you're crying again. i know what you're thinking, "what's wrong with that, laughing is good." it is except when he does it in the middle of a professor's lecture, or in the weight room, and the worst-- as he walks by the basketball court that you're trying intently to listen to your coach during practice and you make the mistake of making eye contact with the guy! fourteen years later, just one glance from drew and i'm laughing...that is what i love about Andrew Moritz.

so what does this have to do with my birthday? like me, Andrew drew the short straw when it comes to health. while we celebrated New Years 2009, drew was given the devastating news that he has Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Cancer, a rare and at this time, incurable form of cancer. fast-forward to the present and drew is still battling cancer and still making me laugh. the only thing that's different is that he is now responsible for 20% of his medical bills. as he endures continuous rounds of chemo, his bank account drains faster than his energy.

for my birthday i want you to sign
up for the MVP Challenge, a 5k Run/Walk at GREEN LAKE on October 22, 2011 at 10am. bring your walking or running shoes, dogs, cats, what ever you like,
just participate! There will be tons of celebrities. all proceeds go
to Andrew. if you can't do it, sign up anyways or visit his blog and make a PayPal donation! every penny counts!!! click on the colored links above to learn more about drew, his form of cancer and most importantly, how to sign up for the MVP Challenge.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

i have a few of these crazy geniuses in my life and they push me to be a better, smarter and realer person. i like to think of them like they are my Rainman. you may not understand why they do things but undoubtedly, they are always right...even if it takes me a year or two to realize it.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

for the past 3 years, as the gray skies and rain start to give way to the sun, i find myself counting down the days to the Ring Around the Needle Pub Crawl. when the day finally comes, it's over in the blink of an eye and i'm left with fond memories and at times, a slight hangover. not this year. no headaches and more than just memories...PICTURES and memories! please join me in thanking Wayne Jung and Nappsack Photos for capturing all of the fun so we can reminisce all year long. his photos are ready for the taking...just click on this link and search away! hopefully he didn't catch doing anything too compromising...then again, hopefully he did! craziness = amazing memories, who cares who sees it!

i'll leave you with a few contact sheets. find some pictures to hold you over until next year!

ABOUT ME

Donate to ALS TDI

If you would like to donate directly to ALS Therapy Development Institute in honor of Melissa Erickson to help us continue to raise money and awareness for ALS, we thank you. Your tax deductible donations can be made here: Community.als.net/melissaericksonfun

On behalf of myself, my family and all of my friends who have supported me along the way, I send a huge THANKS for your thoughts, prayers and support.
Sincerely,
Melissa Erickson

MORE ABOUT ME

Let me give you all a little background on me. For the first 27 years of my life I was extremely active. I started playing basketball when I was 10 years old. It defined my life and gave me incredible opportunities for which I am most grateful. I earned a basketball scholarship to the University of Washington which enabled me to continue my education. From there I went on to coach and play professionally in Germany and Portugal. Basketball brought me to many countries and gave me immeasurable amounts of pleasure, pride and independence. When I was 25 and in my last season in Portugal, I started to feel very inadequate on the court. I was out of balance, slow and unable to jump as high as normal. I felt that I was just getting old and not training as I used to. I moved back to Seattle and became part of the working world. I continued to play basketball recreationally and go to the gym to work out. My inadequacies continued to progress and soon it became very difficult to play or run on my own.

After a workout at my local gym, my personal trainer informed me that my problems with balance and strength were not normal of a typical 27 year old. So in August of 2006, I started my search for reason. A day before my 28th birthday, doctors told me that there were definite signs of a neuromuscular disease. I was devastated to know that the active life I had lived was in for a drastic change. I currently am unable to walk. I use a power chair and it has increased my independence and mobility so much. Life is easier despite the restrictions of living on wheels.

In 2007, I attended numerous doctors’ appointments in Seattle and Boston, and undergone several tests; doctors continue to lean on the initial diagnosis of ALS. My life has taken many different turns and I have journeyed down a path I never thought existed. However, despite all of the disappointment and setbacks I have learned to view life in a new way. I can truly say that I enjoy the simple things in life. Each day is cherished in a new and inviting way. My family and friends are the very blood that runs through my veins.

On behalf of myself, my family and all of my friends who have supported me along the way, I send a huge THANKS for your thoughts, prayers and support.

Sincerely,

Melissa Erickson

All questions, concerns and donations can be directed to Sarah Duncan, co-founder of the Melissa Erickson Foundation. Sarah can be reached at (425) 339-8556 or sdunc@myuw.net